THE DUTCH EXPEDITION TO THE ISLAND OF LOMBOK. 579 
All stores and equipment, including guns (rendered unserviceable), 
fell into the hands of the enemy, by whom many of the badly wounded 
were finished off. 
Once in the temple, all hands set to work to make loopholes and put 
it into a state of defence, and this was going on when the sore be- 
stricken column of General Vetter arrived from Tjakra Negara, about 
5 p.m., to take refuge there. 5 p.m, 
Shortly after, the sound of a gun and volley firing was heard in a 
southerly direction. This proved to be Bijlevelt’s column which, at 
length, acknowledged the signals made and marched in about 8.80 8.30 p.m, 
p-m. with all its wounded and two guns. 
Ineut.-Colonel Bylevelts column—At 1.15 a.m., on the night of the Pa 
25th, 26th August, this column received an order from the Com- ~~~ 
mander-in-Chief to return to Tjakra Negara and started on its return 
journey at 9.15 a.m., 26th inst. No opposition was offered until Avgust 26th" 
approaching the Babak River. Lieut.-Colonel Bijlevelt was severely 
wounded and the command devolved upon Captain Creutz-Lechleitner. 
The passage of the river, 65 yards broad, and deep, was forced under 
fire and with loss. 
The column then continued its advance on Tjakra Negara, on 
approaching, which, about 5 p.m., to communicate with the bivouac 5 pam, 
still supposed to be there, the column was received with heavy fire 
from the town. 
The guns were brought into action and the little force held its own 
fur nearly two hours; and later with the approaching darkness, passed 7 pm 
to its left with the intention of fighting its way to the Materam bivouac 
until it became aware of the signals being made from the afore-men- 
tioned temple into which it marched about 8.80 p.m., after suffering a 8,30 p.m. 
loss of 16 killed and 385 wounded. 
We will now follow the fortunes, for a time, of the force now collected 
in the temple at Materam. puiend od 
The temple was crowded with humanity, numbering among many — ‘- 
wounded and dying, and the night was passed in great discomfort, 
with much suffering from hunger and thirst. 
The following morning, after burying the dead—amongst whom was 
Major-General van Ham—a retreat was commenced on Ampenan, 
avoiding the wall-enclosed high road and striking out over the rice 
fields to the south. 
The 7th battalion, with the wounded, led the way, then came the 
two mountain guns of Bijlevelt’s column, then the 6th battalion (less 
the three sections of the 4th Huropean company, who had not succeeded 
in getting out of Tjakra Negara) as rear-guard. The whole, under 
the executive command of Major Rost van Tonningen of the artillery. 
General Vetter was with the force. 
Directly the column started, the enemy opened fire and fire was also 
received on the march from the southern side of Materam and from 
Sekarbela. _ 
At length, at about 4 p.m., the exhausted column reached the bivouac 
78 
August 27th, 
4 p.m, 
